Maestro: .son-import problems due to incompatible timecode?

[Chetwood]

As mentioned in other forums on this board before I'm still working on ripping some PAL Buffy DVDs from 4 eps/DVD to 3 eps/DVD-R. I'm planning to author my own menu page where you can choose between the three eps placed on the DVD-R (no scene selection though).

I've extracted a single ep with DVD2ONE, demuxed all streams and also have extracted subtitles with Subrip on 25 FPS into Maestro's .son-format. Now when I try to import this file in Maestro I get the following error message:

No corresponding subtitles found! The video asset timecode may not correspond to the timecode specified for the subtitles in the import file.

The files are of course there and even the son-file itselfs points to the correct dir with the subtitle bitmaps. And even when the subtitles are the first asset I'm loading into Maestro, I'm getting the same message; which other timecode does Maestro refer to? A right-click on the timeline lets me choose between 'Zero Based' and 'Asset Timecode' but to no avail. I mean, there shouldn't be any manual offset to be entered cause it's all ripped from the very same ep extractecd with DVD2ONE so all streams should be on the very same timecode?!

Any suggestions? TIA.

[TeFLoN]

chetwood,
Im having the exact same problem...I wish someone would have answered you. Any suggestions?:confused:

[Chetwood]

Originally posted by TeFLoN
chetwood,
Im having the exact same problem...I wish someone would have answered you. Any suggestions?:confused:

Yep, we've discussed this in another thread. Maestro obviously imports both chapter points and subtitles according to the video's internal timecode and not based on the timeline clock!

So, in case your wall clock reads 00:59:58:00 you gotta enter this offset in your subtitles. When you rip with Subrip and have grabbed all bitmaps you can enter a name for the son-file. In this dialogue you can goto 'Time Correction' and enter the offset. Now Maestro will import them.

BTW, you should always import them after having finished your menues cause otherwise Maestro will reset the color table of the subtitles to those used in the button overlays of the menus. Additionally, as soon as you have imported the subtitle stream, open one of it in Maestro and select 'load palette'. Load the palette file Subrip has generated together with the son file. After that all colors will be correct.

[TeFLoN]

Thx chetwood for your timely reply...i had given up. I will reattack it. One question though...are you referring to the little timeclock on the top of Maestro? I can never read the entire thing because the fonts are too big for the window. Is that what you are referring to?

TeF

[RB]

You can temporarily reset the video time offset in Maestro. In the "Movie" window, in the very left part where you can read "Wall clock" on the top, click the second "timecode button" below it and reset the timecode to 00:00:00:00. Then import your subtitles/chapters whatever and reset the video time stamp back to original (click the "Reset Video Time Offset" button). I'm attaching a screenshot because it might not be obvious where to click.

[Chetwood]

Originally posted by RB
You can temporarily reset the video time offset in Maestro. In the "Movie" window, in the very left part where you can read "Wall clock" on the top, click the second "timecode button" below it and reset the timecode to 00:00:00:00. Then import your subtitles/chapters whatever and reset the video time stamp back to original (click the "Reset Video Time Offset" button). I'm attaching a screenshot because it might not be obvious where to click.

And like I said above that's exactly what is not working. I've reset the timecode to 00:00:00:00 and imported the subtitles grabbed on 00:00:00:00 but Maestro could not do it. Only after I kept the timecode of 00:59:58:00 set automatically by the imported m2v file and used this offset on the subtitles I could import them. Maestro obviously imports both chapter points and subtitles according to the video's internal timecode and not based on the timeline clock!

As soon as you grabbed the subtitles in Subrip before saving go to Corrections | Time Corrections | Time Offset / Start Match and enter 00:59:58:00 (in your case you gotta use the offset of your m2v). The save the son file and you'll see the first subtitlte in it does not start with 00:00:00:00 but with the offset you entered.

[TeFLoN]

Guys,
One more question with this.

Do you still have to do TWO pulldowns (one with and one without flags) and do the switch in Maestro like Trilight says to do in his guide? Or does that method not apply now?

TeF

[TeFLoN]

Well,
Still no success :confused: Problem was, my wallclock was all zero's after I imported my video/chapters/audio. I even tried to reset it to see if it would go to something different. It wouldnt. Subs still would not import. I must be a dumbarse.

TeF

[RB]

OK, then maybe the M2V timecode is drop-frame but the subtitles timecode is not or vice versa?

[RB]

Originally posted by Chetwood
And like I said above that's exactly what is not working. I've reset the timecode to 00:00:00:00 ...

Maybe we are still talking about different things. I'm not talking about switching the timeline between asset- and zero-based. I'm talking about (temporarily) resetting the Video Timestamp Offset. When you do as I suggested (actually a small tooltip saying "Video Timestamp Offset" will appear when you hover the mouse over that button), a dialog titled "Set Time Offset" with the text "SMPTE Time Offset" in it and the possibility to edit the video start time code will appear. Hoping some mod approves the screenshot I attached in my previous message so you can see where I want you to click :)

[auenf]

when ripping with subrip, make sure there is no spaces in the bmp or the other file names, and keep the .son filename under 8chars too.

Enf...

[Chetwood]

Originally posted by RB
Maybe we are still talking about different things. I'm not talking about switching the timeline between asset- and zero-based. I'm talking about (temporarily) resetting the Video Timestamp Offset.

Me too. And like I said, this is what isn't working! I did reset the Video Timestamp Offset and not switch the timeleine from zero-based to asset-based. However, there's another thing I forgot to mention which auenf already pointed out: you gotta have short subtitle names with no spaces!

So, Teflon: adjust the offset in case your m2v does have one and rip your subtitles to something like 'eng00001.bmp' or something. This should do it!

[TeFLoN]

I did name my files "spr eng" with the space in between. Maybe that was the problem. Ill check it out, unfortunately, I already deleted all that material (Saving Private Ryan), and gave up on the subs part and burned the DVD lol. I found the Video Timestamp Offset button. My video was already at 0.00.00. So it had no effect. I'll try it on my next project, so it may be a bit before I get back to you on my success or failure. Thx for all your inputs guys.

Could you guys answer my other nagging question concerning Maestro? I easily know how to sync one AC3 audio file with the M2v file. That is no problem. But when I add another audio file it won't allow me to sync it also, so it extends way beyond my movie on the timeline and wont allow dragging to match. Any suggestions? I did a search but I cant find the right answer.

TeF

[Matthew]

Originally posted by Chetwood
Maestro obviously imports both chapter points and subtitles according to the video's internal timecode and not based on the timeline clock!

True for chapters, but I do it on every (PAL) DVD (I use CCE default timecode of 1 hr) and for subs it works fine ;)